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The All-New Audi Q5 is Fresh Yet Familiar, Boasting Crisp Lines.

Next time you’re headed to the beach, be sure to see the Audi Q5 walking around with the swimmer, no surprises as it has been around for more than 8 years, it’s made an outsized splash for the German automaker. As part of a wave of compact luxury SUVs such as the Acura RDX, Mercedes-Benz GLC and Infiniti QX50 all aiming to battle the BMW X3, the Q5 quickly became a best-seller. Since its birth, over 1.6 million Q5 models have been sold worldwide, and this 5-Sitter crossover SUV has been Audi’s top-selling model since 2013, making up about a quarter of its sales.

With that high bar as its backdrop, the Germany car maker was under a lot of pressure to maintain the agility of the Q5 without striking differences from the 1st generations. The all-new Q5 is fresh yet familiar, boasting crisp lines, new LED lighting and revamped grille. And this isn’t a mere comb over and slight enlargement of the existing model. As one Audi executive put it in the media introduction, it’s “all new down to the last bolt.”

However this will not happen without a twist. While global variations of this Audi luxury SUV will offer a choice of power terrains, ranging from ribbons of smooth and empty asphalt to an off-road course filled with sand, moguls and ruts. The U.S.-spec model offers only one: a turbocharged 2.0-liter 4-cylinder, the same size offered on the current base model, linked to a 7-speed S-tronic automatic transmission. Unlike the current Q5, no V6 will be offered. But Audi is quick to point out that the new 4-cylinder, which makes 252 horsepower and 273 lb-ft of torque, is actually quicker from 0-60 mph than the current-gen 6-cylinder model, boasting the ability to hit that performance benchmark in just 5.9 seconds. If you’re even more serious about performance, know that an all-new SQ5, featuring a turbocharged V6, will be offered later.

The New generations has borrowed a few characteristics from some if its family members many of which standout. In addition to having slightly more interior room, the new Q5 comes with Audi’s latest innovations from the A4. Among the highlights are Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatibility, Audi’s slick Virtual Cockpit a configurable, digital dashboard and driver-assist features that can do everything from automatically stop the car to prevent a collision to recognize traffic signs and warn you about an approaching car or cyclist when exiting the vehicle.

The 2018 Q5 comes with Quattro all-wheel drive (AWD) standard. As with the rest of the Q5, Quattro has been revamped. This new version has Audi’s Ultra technology, which optimizes the AWD for both performance and efficiency. Thanks to Years of research and testing, Ultra helps save fuel by powering just the front wheels as often as it can. But it’s always ready to send power and grip to the tires that need it most, with the ability to instantly send 100 percent of power front or back depending on circumstance. When starting from a dead stop, Quattro is enabled to assure the best grip possible.

We can attest to the system’s strengths. Audi’s Quattro has always been among the best AWD systems out there, and Ultra only enhances that. We had an Audi engineer with us who, using a proprietary app on an iPad, he was able to show us the system working in real time. Quattro Ultra’s response was instantaneous and imperceptible. During a particularly twisty mountain road, we pushed the Q5 as hard as we could, and it never lost grip or composure. The SUV just stuck.

The Quattro AWD system is made for any kind of weather condition or terrain, and while Audi’s reps couldn’t quite manufacture a rain storm or snow for our drive outside, they did lead us to an extensive off-road course. Here, too, the Q5 performed better than expected thanks to its excellent powertrain and slight increase in ground clearance, from 7.9 inches in the outgoing model to 8.2 in this new one. We basically treated this Audi crossover as a rally car, bombing over dirt and sand and high speeds. We may or may not have even caught air over a mogul. Again, the Q5 delighted. We doubt most buyers will try high-speed off-road adventures or jumping their Q5, but if the urge strikes, know that this Audi is up to the task. We think the new model will only improve on that model’s success.

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